Rare changes are afoot at the top of women’s squash. For the first time in nearly a decade, a three-way contest for the world No.1 spot has turned the start of the New Year into a riveting battle. Intriguingly, England’s Laura Massaro currently holds that mantle and the Lancastrian says that her aim now is to hold on to a position that has been safeguarded by squash's Malaysian Fort Knox for nearly a decade.

If squash happened to be a fervent betting market then the odds-makers would no doubt have taken outright wins without Nicol David, Malaysia’s multiple world champion, who until September had held top spot for an impregnable 108 months.

It still came as a shock when Raneem El Welily took over as world No. 1 – the first Egyptian to do so in any sport – even after her superb start to 2015. However, after an intense summer of training, Massaro started the autumn in fine fettle, winning her first title, in Macau, since lifting the world crown in March 2014.

She went on to win the first three out of four events, as well as back-to-back World Series titles, propelling her closer to the pinnacle. Thus Massaro became world No.1 for the first time in her career on Jan 1, joining compatriots Cassie Jackman (2004) and Lisa Opie (1988) as the only British females to rise to the top of this most demanding of sports.

Laura Massaro won three events late in 2015 to see her to No.1 Credit:
SQUASHPICS.COM

So quick has been the changing of the guard that Massaro is still third seed for the opening tour event of the year, the J.P. Morgan Tournament of Champions in New York, with the former British Open champion starting her bid on Saturday night against qualifier Olivia Blatchford.

“It feels like a long time and I didn’t think it would happen at one point,” the 32-year-old says. “But the way I have been training and having had a break last year, I just focused, enjoyed what I was doing and tried to play the best level of squash I could possibly play.”

One of her career aims was realised in an unconventional manner. The day she was due to play her quarter-final match at the Hong Kong Open last month, the players received an email stating that the World Championships in Malaysia had been cancelled over ‘security’ concerns.

Ranking points dictated that if Massaro could overcome El Welily in the semi-final, then top spot come January would be hers. “I’m not sure how I felt knowing that information,” says Massaro. “In hindsight I would have preferred knowing rather than losing the match and realising I could have gone to No. 1.

“I tried to prepare for the match as any other. There was a different type of pressure but I was relaxed. I hadn’t beaten Raneem all year but perhaps she struggled with nerves knowing what was at stake.”

Having conquered her own nerves in recent years, changes to her fitness regime have also proved timely. She was previously guided by Irishman John Keily before he was offered a strength and conditioning role working with Ireland at the Rugby World Cup.

Since then, Massaro believes that she has been “taken to a whole new level physically” by Mark Campbell, the English Institute of Sport trainer who has kept the likes of Nick Matthew in peak condition at the age of 36.

With her ranking down to No.5 in September, she started the new season in thunderous form. “When you focus on playing well in the big events the ranking points take care of themselves. My goals became more about winning titles after not winning one for so long. You then stop thinking about becoming world No. 1."

And now that she has become the third Englishwoman to do so? “It’s 12 years of hard work and dedication and I guess it’s become a case of things taking time over the years. Where people have gone up the rankings a lot quicker, I’ve done it in a slower, methodical way and found small improvements every year.

“It feels great that it’s finally happened. It’s another box ticked. Where the World Championships is all about holding your nerve over a week, since May I’ve been playing consistent squash and that’s where it’s come to fruition. It’s two different feelings but huge in their own right.”

As the men’s game continues its own on court brutality thanks to a raft of powerful, attacking Egyptians, so the women’s game has acquired its own form of style and entertainment. A reduced tin – down two inches to 17” – is now in line with the men’s standard and Massaro says: “As long as I can keep on top of my movement then it’s enabled me to defend that lower tin a little bit better as well.”

Further, she’s also out to defend that newly-crowned status. “The three of us fighting for titles? It’s exciting for the future of women’s squash for the next year. I’ll be fighting to hold on to world No.1 for as long as I can. Hopefully until I retire.”